Dovahro Hahvulon
by Innocence Poisoned
Summary: "Ruby red eyes locked onto ones of a bright emerald. Her throat tightened and fear pulsed through her body. "So, I have finally found you, Dovahkiin. And you seem to be much more than anyone had thought." he rumbled his words and she cowered in the hidden meaning."
1. Prologue

Prologue

A Nord woman wakes up to the sound of hooves hitting cobblestone and wood creaking with weight. Her emerald eyes scan her surroundings. She was in a carriage, a man dressed in fine clothes sat next to her with a gag in his mouth. In front of her was a different man dressed in blue Stormcloak armour and a thief in rags next to him. The man in the armour tried engaging her in conversation but she ignored him flat, focusing on the scents in the air.

She sighed and slumped down in her seat, finally coming to terms that she was probably going to die soon. The air held a sharp smell of blood- new and old- and the distinctive smell of horses. Her ears picked up when they rode into a small town with the residents watching from the safety of their houses. Voices spoke about them and commands were shouted to waiting soldiers.

The carriage stopped and the occupants climbed off in a very ungraceful way due to the bindings on their wrists. Names were called out and each owner was ticked off from a long list. One tried to run but was shot in the back by some archers. The soldier with the list studied the Nord woman.

"Who are you?" he asked her.

"My name is Seraphina." she replied with confidence.

"You picked a bad time to come home to Skyrim, kinsman." the man looked at his list again before turning to the Captain waiting behind him, watching the prisoners. "What do we do? She's not on the list."

"Forget the list, she goes to the block." the Captain said, glaring daggers at everyone wearing blue armour. Seraphina snarled at her attitude.

"I'm sorry, at least you will die here, in your homeland." the soldier said.

_This __is__ anything but __my__ homeland_, she thought. Seraphina stalked over to the gathering of Stormcloaks and joined them in their waitings for death. A man in armour far more pristine than the others was addressing who he called the Jarl Ulfric of Windhelm. She ignored his speech, instead feeling something strange in the air.

A man behind her was called up to the block and was thrust down on his knees by the Captain. A sound, like a roar, pierced the air. "What was that?" someone asked in a panicked voice. "Its nothing," came the reply.

The man kneeling with his neck exposed on the block seemed more annoyed than scared as the blade came down to claim his end. Someone said a few words about him next to Seraphina but her mind was on thoughts containing that roar. It couldn't be, could it?

"You, the one in the rags." the Captain shouted at her and brought her attention back to current proceedings.

She walked over to the crimson block. The body of the previously alive man was still there and she kicked it out of her way. Someone kicked her and forced her to her knees. The smell of fresh blood wafted from the head in front of her and the sticky liquid coated her cheek. Another roar sounded in the air and a black shape flew across the sky.

Screams and shouts of terror sounded through the air as it landed on the tower right in front of her, knocking down the headsman to the ground and sending dust up in the air. Alarmed shouts echoed around her as she got to her feet.

The dust had yet to settle when she broke the binds around her wrists and fled away from the block. Everyone around her was either running for shelter or shot arrows at the pitch black dragon flying around and torching everything.

Seraphina was neither of those, instead running to the gates of the town and into the surrounding forest. All hell would break loose if that dragon were to smell her scent or see her form.

But how was he here? Dragons had long since been extinct in Skyrim. And surely that couldn't have been the World-Eater himself!

Seraphina ran through the forest like her life depended on it, for indeed, it did. Her feet carried her north, and into a nice little hamlet.

"Where am I?" she questioned the guard stationed by the gate.

"Riverwood." he replied. "Are you okay? It looks as though you've been running for days."

She smiled at him. If only he knew. "I'm fine, but I have news from Helgen."

"Helgen? Aren't they executing Jarl Ulfric today? I saw the carriages ride through." he narrowed his eyes. "I saw someone who looked a lot like you sitting next to Ulfric too."

Seraphina turned away from him. "No, you must have seen someone else who looked like me."

The guard shrugged. "I guess, I doubt someone like you could escape them."

"I saw it!" a cry echoed through the streets. "It was big and black like the night sky!"

"Mother, calm down!" another person said.

An old woman came storming through the street, yelling. A man was trying to calm her down, telling her that she just saw a bird or something and mistaken it.

Seraphina walked to the woman. "What are talking about?"

The woman gave her a wild look. "A dragon! It was black as the night and as big as a mountain! It came flying over here to the north!"

Seraphina abandoned the woman when the man came to take her inside. She walked to the blacksmith. "What weapons or armour do you have?"

The blacksmith looked at her. "You don't believe what she said, do you?"

Seraphina shrugged. "No, of course not. Dragons are extinct, haven't been seen for years."

He looked relieved. "Good, don't get many visitors here. Don't want old Hilde scaring them away. Anyway, I can't offer you much since the Legion and Stormcloaks both buy up any piece of gear around."

Seraphina looked disappointed. "Are you sure? Not even a steel sword or something?"

He considered it for a second before a shouting turned his attention away from her. "Uncle!"

"Hadvar? I thought you were at Helgen." the blacksmith replied.

A soldier, one with red shoulder-length hair and Imperial armour, walked up to the blacksmith. Seraphina remembered him as the one who had called out all the names. She ducked her head and avoided looking at him for fear of being recognised. "Uncle, I need to tell you about something urgently. Can we go inside for a second?"

"Hadvar, I have a customer here but I'll be with you right after." the blacksmith gestured towards Seraphina.

Hadvar looked at her briefly before turning away and looking back quickly again. "How did you-"

"I ran out the gates." she cut him off.

"But the gates were locked, and that dragon was flying around killing anything that moved. You couldn't have just run out."

She gritted her teeth together and thought of a reply but the blacksmith spoke up before she could. "I don't know what happened at Helgen, Hadvar, but why don't you and your friend come inside to talk about it."

Hadvar looked at her and nodded. The blacksmith walked inside the house linked to the forge. Hadvar and Seraphina followed him inside. The room they walked into was warm and fresh food was placed upon the wooden table. "Now, what is this talk about gates and a dragon?" the blacksmith asked once he had sat down on the bench.

"Uncle, you know that I was stationed at Helgen for the executions of those caught in the ambush?" Hadvar asked. He nodded. "Well, after the first person was dead and the second- this woman right here- was sitting by the block, a black dragon flew down from the sky and attacked. It killed many men, Stormcloak or Imperial, but I managed to escape using the underground system and ran here to find you. It flew in this direction when it finally finished Helgen so I become concerned."

Both men turned to look at Seraphina. "So how did you get here? And how did you escape?"

She shifted under their gazes. "I cut free my bonds on a dagger from the ground and ran towards the gates. The dragon must of caused it to fall or break so I ran through it." of course she lied through her teeth but they didn't seem to notice.

"So why were you being executed?" the blacksmith asked suspiciously.

"I was caught and taken when they ambushed. I swear I haven't done anything illegal, just crossing the border." her face carried an innocent expression.

"Caught at the wrong place at the wrong time." Hadvar nodded. "I'm sorry we tried to kill you when you were innocent."

Seraphina smiled at him. "I forgive you, you weren't the one to order my death, after all."

The blacksmith stood up from his seat. "All right then, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like. Any friend of Hadvar's is a friend of mine." he held out his hand for her to shake it. "My name is Alvor by the way."

"Seraphina." she replied.

"Seraphina? Haven't heard that one before. Where are you from?"

She stiffened. "I wasn't born in Skyrim. My mother and father had me when they were travelling and can't really remember where they were at that time." she really did hate lying to these good people but if they knew the truth, she would probably be killed for being crazy.

Alvor's eyes softened. "I'm sorry then, I never would of thought that..." he trailed off, unsure of where he was going with that.

"No, its okay, really. I've grown used to the fact." she said with a warm smile.

Hadvar cleared his throat and Seraphina turned to look at him. "I'm sorry to have put you in this position but the Jarl needs to be warned about the dragon attack. I'll need to stay here to deal with any other survivors."

Seraphina nodded in understanding. "I'll tell him."

He looked relieved. "And I want you to have this," he unbuckled his sword belt and handed it to her. "The wilds of Skyrim are dangerous."

She looked the sword over in her hands. "Thank you, I'll set off immediately." She turned on her heel and walked outside. The smell of smoke in the air made her wrinkle her face in disgust. Her feet carried her through the nice little town and into the wilderness beyond.

She abandoned the cobbled streets and instead travelled through the forest and bush, avoiding wolves or slumbering bears. Her emerald eyes scanned every inch of the forest, searching for danger. Of course she found nothing more than a few foxes and rabbits.

She stopped at a little pond on the way, gazing at her human form on the sparkling water. Her eyes were an unnatural shade of bright green and her flaming locks of crimson tumbled down her back and shoulders. She had no dislike for this form but it always brought with it unwanted attention- something she did not want.

Her hands reached out to cup the water and her reflection shattered into a million ripples. She splashed the water on her face and continued her trek across the land. She knew walking through the forest takes considerably longer than the roads but she absolutely revealed in the peace nature brought with it.

_Maybe some day,_ she decided, _I'll take on my original form to explore these lands better._


	2. Bleak Falls Barrow

**Author's Note**

**I'd just like to say thank you to my first three reviewers: Kyle Chaulklin, Candywolf33 and Lady-of-the-golden-sun.**

**This is my first fanfic so any sort of comment and review is gladly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is definitely not in any way mine and I do not hold any sort of credit for the production of this game. I do, however, own this story, its plot, characters, etc.**

Chapter 1

At first her thoughts of Whiterun were that the horses smelled horribly. The old and hardened beasts hardly seemed to notice her when she walked past until the wind changed its direction and blew her scent into their faces. They neighed and reared up, sending the stables-master into a panic.

Seraphina sprinted away from the stables and across the wooden drawbridge. She was stopped by a guard right in front of the gates. He asked for her reason for approaching when a dragon was sighted. She told him of how she was here to warn the Jarl and plead for reinforcements for Riverwood. The guard reluctantly opened the wooden gates for her after telling her to be cautious.

She walked through the gates and into the city of Whiterun. _It's changed,_ she thought to herself as she walked through the streets and up many flights of stairs to Dragonsreach. She chuckled to herself as she recalled the many stories about this palace, and all the times she flew past and nested where it now stood.

But those days were gone now, buried under decades of dust and ash. And she planned to keep it that way if the World-Eater was loose in the world again.

The meeting with the Jarl went much as she expected it to: explanations, threats, pleas and many other things. The proceedings of court bored Seraphina to the fullest. Such things were never a part of her before and so learning them now was a lost cause, she would just forget everything again or the rules will change like they always have.

What she did not expect, though, was the Jarl asking _her_ for help. She spoke to the court wizard and got a mission from him.

She almost laughed in his face when he told her about the Dragon-Stone. He expected it to be of major importance? She was looking over the shoulder of the author when it was first chiselled out of stone hard earth which, over time, had turned to actual stone.

Seraphina could have just told him what was written on it but that would raise suspicion. She needed to be careful.

She she did what was asked for her without complaint. She travelled to Bleak Falls Barrow on foot, through the forests and skipping out on the towns. The way leading up to Bleak Falls Barrow was tiring and very uneventful until she came to the first few steps of the old crypt.

Arrows were shot at her from more than one archer and people charged at her with their swords, waraxes, warhammers, and great-swords.

Seraphina stood still, the arrows bouncing off her skin as if she had a ward around her. T he close-combat people shouted war cries and swung their great iron weapons at her but they passed through her as if she was just part of their imaginations'. Confusion sprung up all around the warriors and they lowered their weapons in what they thought was harmless.

The closet warrior- an Orc with an iron war axe- dropped his axe in the snow, deeming it useless against this strange being. Seraphina reached out her hand to touch him and then Orc flinched from her touch. His eyes glazed over and his muscled relaxed as soon as her cold hand was placed on his cheek.

A pale mist wrapped around Seraphina's arm and hand and onto the Orc. He didn't have much in the way of a chance to scream when the mist touched him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he dropped to the ground, dead.

The others were utterly awestruck and shocked that they didn't move for some seconds. Seraphina used this time to gather the remaining life force from the deceased Orc and struck out with the mist at the others.

None of them could do anything against the murderous mist or its powerful mistress. It spread even up the steps and to the archers.

Eventually they all lay dead and Seraphina gathered all the life force around her. She left the victims in the biting cold snow and walked up the remaining steps without further trouble.

Inside she found another pair of warriors and dispatched them by sneaking up through the shadows and snapping their necks. The _'click' _was a satisfying sound to her ears when the bones were crushed and the limp bodies fell to the ground.

She yawned in tiredness and silently wished for a nice warm bed. Her previous trick had cost her some energy. She spied a burnt Skeever roasting on the camp fire and descended upon it with vigour.

The unsavoury meat left a bad taste in her mouth but she could almost feel the energy seeping through her veins.

She wiped her mouth and continued deeper into the crypt.

On her way she met Draugr. If Seraphina had been surprised, she didn't show it. The Draugr stood up from their ancient stone coffins and instead of battling her, they bowed down to the ground- so low that their foreheads were touching the dusty ground.

Seraphina ignored each and every one of them as she passed them. She didn't, however, show that she was taking forgiveness of their past crimes into consideration. They had betrayed her kind before but now they sought forgiveness. Seraphina had always been considered a soft-hearted being to others.

The real thing to slow her down came in the form of a puzzle. Though it only stopped her for a few minutes to move the pillars and activate the lever before she continued on her way, noting a dead Nord lying on the ground. The idiot probably activated the lever before putting in the correct combination.

Then there was some wooden stairs, which a nest of Skeevers had taken up residence. But upon smelling her scent in the air, the hid and cowered in the shadows.

She also encountered a Spider, and a screaming thief caught in its web. She killed the Frostbite Spider and set to work on the sticky web holding up the thief. Of course she knew he was a thief, why else would anyone be in here? So when he decided to run, she let him.

The screams coming from the next room told her he had encountered the Draugr.

An evil grin appeared on Seraphina's face. She strolled into through the room, ignoring the sticky mess in a corner that was the thief and the bowing Draugr. She picked up the golden object that must have fallen out from his pocket.

And this was the thing that caused the crease in between her brow. It was made from solid gold, if the weight told her anything. It was made to resemble a claw, little pictures craved into the palm. She hadn't seen anything like this before but it tugged at the edge of her mind. She pocketed it and carried on through the crypt.

She encountered many more Draugr, not sparing any of them a single glance as she walked past. Her first problem though, was probably the most stupid thing she had ever laid her eyes upon.

A door.

But it wasn't a magical door, or even en enchanted door. It was just a door.

Maybe the term 'entrance' suited it better. The 'door' was circular in shape and had three rings circling a single point. On the three rings were pictures depicting animals. Seraphina frowned and stared at the point. It had three strange indents.

She tried touching one of the rings and it moved. She took a step back away from it. It stopped moving to show a picture of a bear.

"What is this?" Seraphina whispered to herself. She turned away from the door and looked around the rest of the hallway. Carved pictures depicting ancient gods covered every wall from top to bottom. She spied something on the other side of the hall and made for it.

She didn't notice the sudden change in floor until she was lying with her cheek pressed against it. The claw thing fell clattering from her pocket onto the ground in front of her face. She stared at it for a moment before grabbing it with a hand and standing back up. She almost ran to the door, being careful of where she was walking this time.

She looked down on the palm of the claw to see markings almost identical to the ones on the door. She followed her gut and moved each ring until it fit the picture on the claw. When noting happened, Seraphina grew frustrated. She thrust the claw into the three indents, hoping the claw would break or something, and to her surprise the circular door opened. It disappeared into the floor and she stepped it.

What greeted her wasn't by any means strange- just another dusty part of a cave- but it was the _feel_ of the place that sent a shiver down her spine.

Seraphina walked with a numb expression over a ramp and up some stairs to a Wall. Engraved on it were symbols, symbols she hadn't seen in centuries. She felt something calling to her, chanting words she couldn't understand. A particular group of symbols stood out from the rest as glowing blue light.

A force much stronger than her own compelled her further. She reached out her hand and gently touched the symbols. Her vision blurred, noise was blocked out, she couldn't feel anything beyond the hand touching the stone. Power and meaning surged through her, knocking out her breath.

The power faded as quickly as it came, leaving her feeling drained and gasping for breath. Behind her she heard something crash down to the floor and she turned to see a Draugr climbing out from its stone coffin. She sensed something was wrong as soon as its feet touched the ground. It drew its weapon and advanced at Seraphina.

She managed to roll to the side just in time for a sharpened sword to send sparks flying from where it hit the stone ground she was standing on a millisecond ago. Seraphina snarled at it. _So it wont bend its knee for its Master? I'll just have to fix that, _she thought to herself.

The Draugr went for her again but she was faster and lunged for it, baring her sharpened teeth. It hissed in pain when she bit into its throat and staggered back when she pulled back, ripping away whatever flesh there was left there. She spat out the foul tasting skin and kicked the Draugr in its chest, sending it falling down. She managed to catch it before it hit the ground and landed a solid punch to its shoulder and then lower back. She heard bones crack and break as it fell forward. It tried standing back up but Seraphina pointed its own sword at it.

"On your knee, slave." she commanded. The Draugr looked at her with lifeless glowing eyes.

It muttered something to her but she didn't understand a word that was sent. Seraphina kicked it again and it rolled on its back. She stepped on its head and shoved the sword through its chest. She pulled the sword out and threw it to the ground.

She turned her back on the dead Draugr Overlord and searched the chest by its coffin. She growled in frustration when she couldn't find the Dragon-Stone. A thought filtered through her mind and she looked back at the Draugr. She searched the body and her hands finally fell upon the Dragon-Stone.

A smile tugged the corners of her lips as her finger traced over the stone and its symbols. She didn't think she would ever see this again. Although she didn't understand the symbols at the back anymore, the front was clearly a map of Skyrim.

Seraphina sighed and pocketed the Stone.

_Those are days long since past._


	3. Mirmulnir

**A/N:**

**Please note that this story's rating has been changed to M for strong language, violence, and possible lemons. If you are easily offended then best tread lightly.**

Chapter 2

"_Farengar, you need to come at once. A dragon's been sighted nearby."_

Words that made her pale and whimper internally.

"_You should come too."_

Words that made her quiver in terror.

No, why did she need to go? Were the guards not enough? Why would they require the assistance of some lowly Nord?

But here Seraphina stood regardless, behind some rocks while the Housecarl and some guards investigated the ruin of the Western Watchtower. She didn't, couldn't, move. She saw the flames the dragon had caused. She also smelt his scent lingering in the area. He wasn't gone, only waiting. He was waiting for more guards to show up. He wanted to be seen and feared.

"Seraphina, get over here and help us. You're only here because the Jarl said you would, not because I chose you to be." the Housecarl, Irileth, said.

Seraphina snarled at the elf. Walking out into the open is a death sentence. There's no way she would risk her life just because a bitchy elf told her to.

"_Now,_ Nord." Irileth said in a stern, commanding voice.

Seraphina looked up at the Watchtower and judged the distance it would take for her to run to safety. It wasn't far and definitely could be sprinted across without much hassle. And best of all it would stop that bloody elf from making a huge scene. The guards were already looking at her.

Seraphina reluctantly stepped away from the rocks and walked closer to the burning wreckage. The stonework was completely ruined, some lying destroyed on the ground or scorched black beyond recognition. Others looked like they would crumble by even a feather-light touch. _He_ had enjoyed himself too much on this.

"Good, maybe one day you'll learn to take orders first time spoken." Irileth spat.

Seraphina repressed the rolling growl building up. If she was still who she used to be, this elf wouldn't last another moment of her useless mortal life. "I'm not to be ordered around, _ Housecarl. _My being here is entirely optional, can you say the same?" Seraphina took a deep sniff. "I can _smell _your fear. Tell me, have you ever killed a dragon before?"

Irileth looked at her and for a brief moment fear flashed in her red eyes before they turned offensive. "Who are you to-"

Before she could continue, a deep rumble cut her off and the shouts of terrified men. "The dragon is approaching!" one shouted. "Here he comes again!" another wailed.

Seraphina would of felt disgusted at their obvious cowardice if she wasn't feeling like coward herself. She used to be a proud creature, basking in the admiration and fear when people laid their eyes on her- but now? She has had to lie, cheat, steal, beg, _be a coward _just to survive.

And all that trouble gone into staying alive would all be in vain if that rapidly approaching dragon wasn't put at the end of a sharp sword. _Or arrow point, _Seraphina thought as she noticed all the guards using their archery skills.

Seraphina steeled herself when she laid eyes on the dragon. _Mirmulnir._

The World-Eater sent this _whelp_? What good could this new-born possibly bring? He was tempered, cocky, and disregarded others.

A sudden rage flared in Seraphina. It sent her senses into overdrive. Ever muscle she had flexed and relaxed. Red crept into the edges of her vision. She would _not_ back down to this hatchling. Nothing would stop her from killing him. _Nothing._

Mirmulnir cycled the Watchtower once before raining fire down upon the helpless guards. He roared in triumph and landed upon the top to look down at the rest of the guards. His lip curled in what might have been a reptilian if his teeth didn't stop him. His maw opened to release another inferno. Men screamed in pain as their hides were scorched and melted off their bones.

Their screams of agony were deafening and the smell accompanying the burning flesh was sickening to say the least. But those aspects only spurred on the fiery rage boiling inside Seraphina. Her eyes started glowing faintly, a red light against her emerald eyes.

"_Mirmulnir!" _she shouted. Her voice boomed around the battlefield, no doubt that the people inside Whiterun's walls could hear her.

The dragon looked in her direction and set his eyes upon her. The sound of claws scraping on stone grated against her ears as he lunged at her. The fire in his maw had settled as he dove at her with fangs bared.

"_Loksilkun!" _he shouted in fury. Seraphina felt an unwanted shiver run down her spine. How _dare_ he say that? She's gone centuries without that word and intended to keep it that way for many more to come.

That hope had shattered and lay discarded at her feet as Seraphina braced herself. She pointed the steel sword head on and put all her strength in it as she ran forward. A war-cry ripped from her throat as the dragon unknowingly flew straight into the sword. He made an unpleasant gurgling sound as the sword pierced through the back of his throat.

It didn't kill him.

Seraphina recovered faster than the dragon and pulled the sword from his maw and up through his pallet. A deafening roar echoed through the night as the steel cut through tissue and into bone.

The sword was ripped out again and the dragon fell to the ground, crying out in pain. "Dovahkiin, no!" Mirmulnir pleaded just before the sword was thrust into him again, this time a killing blow through the eye. She patted his scaly hide when she pulled the sword from his eye.

A bright light enveloped Mirmulnir's body. His scales dissolved into the bright light, soon followed by his skin and eventually his whole being. The light sought out Seraphina and she embraced it as she felt herself flying through the night skies once more. Every fibre she had in herself felt content at the feeling. Nothing could compare to the feeling of flying with no destination in mind. But the moment was gone as soon as it started, leaving her feel depressed that she wasn't actually flying.

She looked down at Mirmulnir's bones and felt something bordering on pity. But that feeling was erased when uneasiness settled.

_That smell..._

"Seems like I didn't need to resurrect you, Loksilkun." a voice spoke. A voice she'd rather never hear. Ever.

Her eyes glanced around at the carnage that she was oblivious to only moments ago. Charred bodies, guards lying in ribbons of their own flesh and pools of deep red blood. Even the elf's body was there- lying on the ground ripped apart, mouth open in a silent scream. Her ragged breathing showed that she was still alive, if only barely.

Seraphina turned to face the pure evil she had wished and prayed to avoid.

Ruby red eyes locked onto ones of a bright emerald. Her throat tightened and fear pulsed through her body. "So, I have finally found you, Dovahkiin. And you seem to be much more than anyone had thought." he rumbled his words and she cowered in the hidden meaning.

_Fuck._


	4. Fear

**A/N: Just a warning that Alduin may seem a bit OOC in this chapter. (OOC= Out Of Charater)**

Chapter 3

"I had wondered what had became of the great Loksilkun. We all thought you had perished with your servants in that place you called a temple." Alduin all but spat out. "Seems that was not the case."

A crooked smile formed on Seraphina's lips. "Those _traitors_ couldn't pull me down with them even if they tried."

He eyed her curiously. "So it seems. Drop your weapon, Loksilkun." he commanded in a voice that almost made her piss herself.

The steel sword fell from her grasp and landed on the dusty ground. "You have found me, World-Eater. What shall you do with me?" she understood that there was no way of escaping death this time. She would be resurrected and would serve Alduin in every life after this one.

Alduin, as if sensing her thoughts, walked closer to her. "I will not have you killed. You are a unique gift and killing one such as you would just make conquering this world utterly uninteresting. You shall come with me."

"Don't you have enough mates to dance for you?" Seraphina spat. She would _not _become his plaything.

His deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. "All my mates are dead, Loksilkun. So are yours. Unless I choose to resurrect them to do my bidding for me. No, you will help me strike fear into the hearts of these mortals. They will become our slaves once more."

"Don't call me that."

"Call you what, Loksilkun?"

"_That. _My name is Seraphina."

"Is that what you are called now, _Seraphina?" _he inched closer to her.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up at his close presence. She could feel the heat in his breath. "Why are you here?"

"I thought I had smelt something when I returned to this time. Your scent is an easy one to pick out, even when you are in this mortal form. Its a shame you killed Mirmulnir, he could have been... helpful." he lifted his head to stretch out his neck and rose to his full height. He hovered over her like a dark cloud. "More mortals are coming this way. Our time talking here is over."

Before Seraphina could protest he had her in his talons and lifted off into the air. She left loose a blood-curdling scream- much to her shame and embarrassment. Alduin looked at her clutched in his talons. "You seemed to have lost your inner dovah."

Seraphina couldn't respond, she didn't even hear him over the sound of his beating wings. Maybe flying in the night skies wasn't what she wanted anymore. Her eyes were shut so tight it burned. Tears dripped freely down her face and through the sky like twin rain drops. She wouldn't open them, no.

"Open, Loksilkun. You must see your namesake like a true dovah once more." Alduin commanded loud enough for her to shiver in fear. Despite this she kept her eyes shut. If Alduin meant to scare her then he would do more than just shouting at her.

"_Hi lost naram sahlo erei ol joor._" Alduin rumbled in annoyance.

The rest of the flight proved to be pure fear and fright for Seraphina. Alduin insisted on flying lower towards the ground, which meant dodging tall trees only narrowly. Seraphina swore she felt leaves brush against her ankles twice before the beating of his wings meant he was gaining altitude. He made consist sharp corners, making her stomach churn and her complexion grow pale. Yet she still refused to open her eyes.

Seraphina soon started hearing faint roars from more dragons off in the distance. As Alduin flew with her in his talons they grew louder, closer. It didn't sound like there were many- four, maybe five- but that was enough for her to assume the worst.

_He wants to humiliate me first, make sure he's properly broken me before ending my life and resurrecting me to do his bidding. _Seraphina snarled at her thoughts. _No, he wants to claim me as another one of his mates and then pass me to another dragon to use._

A low growl ripped from her throat before she could stop it. Alduin upon hearing it slowed his flight, just gliding as he slowly lowered himself to the ground.

"_Alduin, valokein rigir in. Mu'ular lost kosaan laagnu." _a deep voice sounded.

Seraphina felt herself being shifted and moved in Alduin's talons until she felt herself being placed gently on her feet. Solid ground beneath her feet made her chest feel lighter. Her eyes cracked open slightly and she gazed down upon old stonework laced with growing plants. Claws retracted from around her and left her standing alone on her own.

"_Wo los daar joor? Rek sahlon do-" _the voice broke off suddenly.

Seraphina lifted her head and looked upon a dragon with mud-coloured scales and horns curved in perfect symmetry. Its eyes glowed a strange amber, almost concealing the shock and anger dancing behind the colour.

"_Geh, _Loksilkun_." _Alduin rumbled above her. "And I'd prefer you'd speak the language of the mortals while in her presence."

"How did you find her, sire?" the dragon asked in shock, falling into the language Seraphina could understand.

"We shall speak later, Golsu'umkoor. Send her to my chambers and meet me in council." Alduin spoke. There was an underlying edge to his voice. His scarlet eyes lingered on the dragon for a while longer before he took off in the direction of the other roars.

"Loksilkun," the dragon said to Seraphina. "I am Golsu'umkoor. If you could please follow me to sire's chambers."

"Do not call me that, Golsu'umkoor. My name is Seraphina and I'd prefer if you would call me by my name." she stated, almost stumbling over _his_ name.

He looked at her strangely, all traces of anger gone but still the lingering shock. "I apologise, _Seraphina. _I must have been misinformed." he bowed his head in what might have been a bow. "This way."

He turned and started in the direction of a massive cave mouth she hadn't noticed before. It really was something else. An archway made of stone and carved to took the form of two twisting trees. The stonework she stood on led into the cave. Plants grew over the stone on both the archway and path from ages of misuse. Inside the cave proved too dark to see into without walking inside.

Seraphina took a deep breath and gazed at her surrounding. A forest, thicker than a bear's fur and darker than the cave surrounded her on all sides. This looked to be the perfect hideaway. Their was no way she could escape here alive without either Golsu'umkoor or Alduin finding her. Or any of the other dragons Alduin may have resurrected.

So with reluctant steps, Seraphina followed Golsu'umkoor into the cave.


	5. Dragon's Den

Chapter 4

_**~Translated dialogue in brackets~**_

"_Kolost hi kosaan?_ _(Where have you been?)_" Iiz asked of Alduin when he had landed outside another cave mouth. Loud roars could be heard coming from inside.

Alduin looked down at the small Frost dragon. He was one of the first to be resurrected and serve the World-Eater. "_Zu'u lost bo brom do het ko tovit do aanwo. Fahvos los mu'ular ful laagnu? Drey hi fun niin naan?__ (I have been flying north of here in search of someone. Why is court so restless? Did you tell them anything?)"_

"_Zu'u saag tol hi lost ofir ahrk didn't laan wah kos vodremt. Nust ziidol saraan fah hi, got.__(I said that you were busy and didn't want to be disturbed. They insisted on waiting for you, sire.)" _Iiz responded with a shuffling of his wings.

"_Pruzah, hi los fusond erei Zu'u bel hi einzuk._ _(Good, you are dismissed until I summon you again.)_" Alduin said and walked past Iiz into the cave. He heard the Frost take off behind him. Iiz had always been a loyal servant, one that had somehow wormed his way into Alduin's good graces through years of serving. He was one that would get a trial should the need ever arise.

Alduin walked through the cave mouth and was plunged into darkness. His ruby eyes quickly adjusted to the sudden change of lighting. He walked through a long hallway and up some steps that, to him, were completely useless. The room he stepped into was big, big enough for him to comfortably stretch out his wings yet not big enough to fly. A large stone slab sat in the centre of the room, acting as some sort of table. There was no fire in the room. There was no need for light.

Alduin looked around at the suddenly quiet room, watching the different eyes glow in the darkness. There were only six sets of them, each sporting different colours. Claws scraping against stone grated against his ears as each dragon bowed their heads.

"Alduin," they all greeted in sync.

"_Mu hon hi lost ofir, got.__ (We heard you were busy, sire.__)_" Alduin recognised the voice as Vahfeykro, and turned to look at a dragon with eyes as green as fresh leaves. His scales weren't much to look at, a sort of dull green with splashes of brown. The horns on his head curved around to touch the edge of his eyes, and the horns running the length of his spine were small and very unimpressive.

Alduin suppressed a growl. "_Geh, ahrk fos koros los nid do hin hahvoth, Vah.__ (Yes, and what happened is none of your concern, __Vah__)_" he snapped, using the word he knew would irritate the Green dragon. He saw the flash of contained anger in Vahfeykro's eyes and felt a sense of smugness.

He looked around at the others again and saw them paying no attention to the exchange between dragons but rather they were scenting the air. Now it was him who was irritated. "_Tinvaak!__ (Speak!)_" he commanded of them. One visibly flinched at his tone- the dragon closet to him. The rest kept sniffing at the air, although not so much or noticeable.

Alduin turned and towered over the dragon that flinched. This one was small, and much younger than the rest. Alduin stepped closer to him and studied him with dangerous eyes. "_Tinvaak, goraan. Fahvos los sahlon zey med zinvu dok?__ (Speak, youngling. Why are you scenting me like an honourless hound?__)__" _he demanded, letting the anger bite into his voice.

The Green dragon seemed to sink into himself. The smell of fear rolled off of him in heavy waves that couldn't be ignored. "_Dii drog, hi brud sahlon do punah nau hi.__ (My lord, you carry the scent of a female on you.)"_

"_Zuk fein nunon punah, Sur. Nuz Zu'u wouldn't ov hi wah mindrus sahlon do Loksilkun. __(More than just a female, Sur. But I wouldn't trust you to recognise the smell of Loksilkun.)_" the dragon at the far side of the stone slab spoke.

"_Dreh ni tinvaak do nok, Gol. Nid dovah mindok kolos rek lost vahlt.__ (Do not talk of lies, Gol. No dragon knows where she had left.)_" Alduin scoffed, No, she was his prize to keep and if they knew that she was only a minute's flight from here they would not stop until she was gone.

"_Alduin, hi lost ofan mii laas einzuk ful fah tol Zu'u ov pahfos hi dreh nuz ni pah dovah fen kos unaz fend nust siiv tol rek los nahlaas einzuk. (Alduin, you have given us life again so for that I trust whatever you are doing but not all dragons will be happy should they find that she is alive again.)" _

~o0o~

Seraphina walked along side Golsu'umkoor through the caves that seemed to drag on. Her in-bred clock told her that they had been walking only for a minute or so but that one minute just kept ticking by. The walls never changed, the ground never changed, even the ceiling never changed. Everything was just dark, dark and cold.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, more to break the silence then of any sort of curiosity.

"The World-Eater's personal chambers." Golsu'umkoor replied.

"Why does he want me in his personal chambers?" she asked. Maybe he had some sort of clue about what was to happen to her.

His amber eyes searched her for a second before looking back ahead of them into the darkness. "Sire hasn't, and refuses to, resurrect any females until he knows for certain that the world is his. Some of the other dragons take mortal females to..." he struggled with his words. "_ease _their urges. Although none of them survives the night."

Seraphina's skin crawled at his words. "Alduin would not rape me." she said, not meaning for it to be aloud.

The dragon shook his head. "I am not sure if what you say is true. Sire has never been one to take females but maybe something has changed. It has been centuries since any of us took a single breath, that can mean that he has some sort of pent of emotion that he needs to release."

Seraphina remained silent, thoughts running wild in her head. No, he would definitely _not_ rape her. Such petty amusements were beneath him. If he needed release then he would resurrect a female to do it for him, there is no need for her another than scaring the mortals.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked suddenly, catching Golsu'umkoor off guard.

He stared at her as though saddened. He let out a sigh. "My...memories were shifted a lot when being resurrected. I have lost many of them. I know who you are only by reputation."

"I met you once." she stated casually.

"You did?"

She nodded. "I flew past you once on my way to my nest and you thought I was invading your territory. My memories aren't the best either but I do remember that."

"We are here." he announced, ignoring what she had said.

Seraphina looked from Golsu'umkoor to a door. A wooden door big enough for a dragon to walk through. The wood itself was strangely plain, with the exception of no door handles. But when the door was headbutted open by Golsu'umkoor, Seraphina's breath was taken away.

A huge cot lay in one corner of the room, probably some sort of bed. Dragon script decorated a whole wall of the room, leaving no space untouched by the strange symbols. Another door sat on another wall. A huge fireplace stood near the cot, a fire burning and making the room warm. There was something about the lack of furniture that sent her mind turning. The possibilities that could be done with this room was endless.

Seraphina shook her head. No, there's no way she would be here long enough to decorate. Nor would Alduin allow her to.

"You are required to stay here until sire returns." Golsu'umkoor said. He nudged her in with his nose and the door closed behind her, leaving her stuck in the dragon's den.


	6. Last Dragonborn

Chapter 5

They all bowed when he walked past them, noses pressed to the ground and fearful eyes hidden from view. The brown dragon paid them no heed as his claws clinked annoyingly against the stone floor. They were only mortals smart enough to surrender to the World-Eater, nothing worth stopping to glance at. But that mortal, _Seraphina, _she was worth stopping to glance at. Her scent had proved vaguely familiar to his nose, irritating it to the point of roaring in frustration.

He knew the tales of her, back when he roamed the skies undisturbed by the filthy mortals. _Loksilkun._ That was a name well known throughout the dovah world. That name was often used in the teachings of new-borns, stories used as a reminder to never converse with other species.

The tales had gone that she was a proud dragoness, often seen soaring the skies after which she was named of: _A__u__rora. _There had only been one temple built for her but she destroyed it after finding out about its existence. They say that she loathed anyone that regarded her higher than what she deemed necessary. Her servants her some of the few that willingly joined in her worship. Her worshippers grew in numbers bigger than any of the dovah could believe but they just sat and idled away their whole lives.

Loksilkun, having seeing her loyal servants waste away, put them to use by constructing altars and temples for the other dovah. In secret they built a shine housed in the side of a mountain dedicated to her worship. Try as she might, she could not bring herself to destroy it and grew to love the place she claimed as her own. The dragoness reigned there for only a century before she was called to help other dovah in claiming more land for the rapid amount of hatchlings.

She travelled with a fellow dovah to a land none have dared flew to before and returned only years later. Although none would have expected her to return on the back of her partner as a mortal. Songs portrayed her as a Nord with eyes like the summer forest and hair red like blood. The songs also sang that she had been cursed to forget the very language she grew up with and was the source of her power. The dovah flew her to her temple where she stayed ever after. Very few of her worshippers betrayed her and those who did left the temple or died in its halls. They say it was because she had betrayed her kind to mate with some other creature.

When news reached more powerful dovah, they thought to kill her and flew to her temple only to destroy and crush it under the very mountain it was made in. Everyone thought she had perished.

But now this mortal carried her scent, brought here by the World-Eater himself. Maybe Seraphina was just a spawn of Loksilkun's treason. Golsu'umloor snarled at the thought. That would mean that she would have to be killed as soon as possible or risk having even more part dovah spawn wreaking havoc upon this world. She was a living figure of impurity amongst them. And, if he were to believe legend, she still carried the power to possibly dethrone Alduin.

A world ruled by a dragoness in human form...

He shook the idea out of his mind. Sire wouldn't bring her into the heart of their operations if he wasn't prepared to handle her. And she seemed capable enough- with the exception of her trust in him. No one truly knew what Alduin thought and could never predict what he would do next.

She had seemed pretty unhappy when he had called her Loksilkun- what was the reason behind that reaction? And had she really met him before? Oh, how Golsu'umkoor wished for his memories once more, then maybe he would understand what was happening.

He finally emerged from the cave and out into the sunlight, spying a little Frost dragon waiting outside. The dragon smirked at him, showing bright sharp teeth.

"_Zu'u gon wah uful. (I was beginning to worry.)" _Iiz said.

Golsu'umkoor growled. "Shut it, hatchling. You are speaking to one much older than you."

"_Ahrk wah gein wo lost vodahmin tol rok tinvaak ko dovah. (And to one who has forgotten that he speaks in dragon.)" _Iiz replied.

"_Zu'u lost kosaan uth wah tinvaak med naal ok got. (I have been ordered to speak like that by sire.)" _Golsu'umkoor said dismissively. "_Fos los nii tol hi praag wah nuthaak zey het? (What is it that you need to bother me here?)" _

The small dragon shuffled his wings. "_Zu'u los ni het fah hi. Zu'u saraan fah daal do got.__ (I am not here you. I wait for the return of sire.)" _

"Wait outside the court." Golsu'umkoor snapped, slipping into the mortal language.

Iiz tilted his head in confusion. "_Zu'u los ni pruzah kahriil ko joor tinvok.__ (I am not well versed in the mortal language.)_"

"That is why I am your superior, _child_. _Saraan ahstaadvoz.__ (Wait elsewhere.)_"

~o0o~

As the World-Eater looked down at the burning caravan, he decided one thing: the cat mortals tasted worse than the scaled ones. The fur that covered every inch of their bodies was unpleasant against his teeth and caused a great disturbance in his stomach. At least the ones covered in fine scales slid down his throat better.

I had been a petty kill, one he would never allow himself if it weren't convenient. A caravan carrying three cat-people had been making their way through the land and had somehow gotten lost in the forest surrounding his domain. He had been out looking for food before confronting the Dragonborn waiting him in his chambers. The meeting with the council had left him feeling drained.

He always loathed having to deal with them, but there was a need for the small group of dragons. They each held control other dovah didn't: unique Shouts only they themselves knew. While in the days of old the council was much larger Alduin only resurrected those who he knew to be powerful. Not as powerful as himself- no, none such existed- but powerful enough to help deal with the mortals faster and more efficiently.

One of the many 'concerns' addressed in the council was the lack of females. They had argued that the females were needed to help the process of ultimate domination. Alduin scoffed at the thought. Females would only cloud their minds with the instinct to mate and breed. But that train of thought was quickly stopped when he stated that, since they were all resurrected, they still were technically dead and unable to produce offspring. Only he could possibly mate and produce offspring but he practically snarled at the thought of breeding. No, his plan was to enslave the world once again and claim what was stolen from him.

Alduin turned his back at the caravan and took to the skies back to his base- where she waited for him.

The Dragonborn... Yes, she was definitely a lucky find. Even as a mortal she still had the remains of a dovah within her. When she was first discovered in the form of a Nord maiden Alduin had not attacked her like the others. He had watched on as the carnage of her traitors had been pushed off the mountain only to splat and shatter on the rocks below. She had sneered at their dead bodies as she pushed them and then burnt off their blood by holding her hands over fire, her skin never burning.

That had been where his interest in her started. He saw her walk through the fire of another dovah and come out looking just as she was going in. Her skin never blistered, never smoked, never burnt. And she had used that much to her advantage when she was attacked on her mountain.

Alduin had been there that day, watching and observing. She had struck down three dovah before the mountain crumbled and with her she took their souls. She had permanently ended the existence of three dovah, killing their forms and eating their souls. And he had been the only one to notice before the mountain had broken and shattered under the force of hundreds of Thu'ums. It was one of his favourite secrets to know the identity of the last Dragonborn. And now she was his, helpless and waiting for her demise.


	7. Melody

Chapter 6

Try as though she might, Seraphina could not shake off the uneasy feeling twisting in her gut. Alduin's chambers were cold, despite the fire burning brightly in the fire place. The stone floor and walls leached her of any warmth she gained from the fire. After some time exploring the massive room she started pacing, back and forth, along its length. The feeling wouldn't fade no matter how many laps she did. The strange symbols on the walls helped none either. She recognised them as the Dragon language but no more than that.

And why was she forced to wait here like a new born for the World-Eater to make his appearance?

A knock at the large wooden door stopped her pacing. "Yes?" she hesitantly answered.

The door creaked open slightly, allowing a small girl of maybe fifteen to slip in. She wore a dirty gown, stained and ripped in several places. Her brunette hair was knotted and messily piled at the top of her head. She curtsied after the door had closed behind her, carefully still holding a pile of clean clothes in her hands.

"I was sent to dress who before the World-Eater returns, my lady." she muttered quietly.

Seraphina studied the girl curiously. She was obviously scared shitless. "I don't need help dressing myself."

"I'm sorry, my lady, but I was ordered to have you dressed in clothes for when the sire returns." she said. Her head was bowed down to the ground, never looking up as if Seraphina would bite off her head if she dare look at her.

"Well, Alduin can go fuck himself. Just give me the clothes and I'll do it myself. But you can stay here to keep up appearances." Seraphina shrugged.

The girl flinched back when the dragoness reached out for the clothes. Seraphina paid no attention to the reaction, focussing instead on what she could possibly do to Alduin to make him apologise to this girl for whatever he had done to make her so frightened.

Seraphina loosened the straps on the leather armour she had looted from a dead body. "What is your name, girl?" she asked.

"Melody, my lady."

"My name is Seraphina. And trust me, I'm anything but a lady. Why are you here, Melody?" she lifted the leather over her head and threw it down somewhere on the floor.

"My parents gave me up to be an offering for one of the dragons but they said I was too young. I clean and work here until I come of age." she answered, still not lifting her head to look at Seraphina.

"Which dragon were you gifted to?" she tossed off her braces and started on her boots.

"Sadon."

Seraphina halted her actions, standing bare before Melody before shaking her head and unfolding the clothes she was meant to wear. "Then be glad you are not yet of age because he wouldn't even think about giving you mercy."

"Have you met him, my lady?" Melody asked, finally gathering some courage.

"I have had that misfortune, yes. He had a silver tongue at first until-" Seraphina stopped in mid sentence. This poor girl did not need to know that piece of information. She tugged on a white cotton tunic and brown pants that irritated her skin. At least she wasn't given a dress to wear.

"Am I dismissed, my lady?" Melody asked timidly.

Seraphina looked at her for a second, noting the girl's dread circling her like a cloud. "No. You can stay for as long as you need. There are none out there that would question me."

Melody did another curtsie. "Thank you, my lady." she seemed genuinely grateful.

"So tell me, Melody, why did your parents gift you over to a dragon? Surely they must have cared for you." Seraphina said. So hasn't had a decent conversation with a mortal in a while and this girl definitely didn't want to go back out _there._

"My mother was worked at a brothel and my father was a farmer. They didn't want me at all so handed me over to lord Sadon as soon as he was resurrected." she said with a shrug, as if her unloving parents weren't anything serious.

Seraphina snorted when she called him lord. "He is anything but a lord, Melody. I'm sure you know that well enough."

She shook her head. "I've never met him before, I only know stories the other maids talk about."

"So how much do you actually know about this place?" Seraphina was curious, always has been, and this girl sparked that natural interest within her.

"I only know what the maids say, my lady."

"So then what do the maids say?"

Melody looked up at the dragoness for the first time, revealing eyes that literally _glowed_ a pastel yellow. "They say that you are the only hope of us leaving this with our lives."

_A/N:_

_Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone that had reviewed, favourite and followed this story. I didn't expect so much when I first submitted this story. Secondly, I want to acknowledge that last reviewer who said:_

"Dovahro Hahvulon in dovah means Dragon's Nightmare"

_I read that review over and over and for some strange reason it just gave me the inspiration for writing this chapter. Why? Because that review tells me that someone was curious enough to actually look up the meaning, actually stared at their screen and typed in words that no one has actually bothered to check out before, and then used time to write out that meaning in the review box telling everyone else the meaning behind the title was. That is something so small yet means more than I'd like to admit to me._

_And lastly I hope that everyone had a splendid New Years._


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